


Bath Salts

by VerdantMoth



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Bathing/Washing, Blow Jobs, Cloves, Licking, M/M, Nipple Licking, Nipple Play, Scented Bath
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-06
Updated: 2018-07-06
Packaged: 2019-08-23 17:53:03
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 998
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16623662
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VerdantMoth/pseuds/VerdantMoth
Summary: Arthur takes a bath, and Merlin joins him.





	Bath Salts

It’s late and the air is wet and the smell of cloves hangs heavy around Merlin. He’s exhausted and he’s starving, and really, that’s the only excuse he has.

Arthur, after an extremely unsuccessful hunt that for once, had nothing to do with Merlin frightening off the animals, had insisted Merlin bathe him as soon as they returned to his chambers. Before either of them could even grab something to soothe the grumblings in their bellies, Merlin finds himself stripping the king and calling for water and stirring in the bath salts.

Arthur says very little as Merlin drags the cloth over his skin, not even when Merlin slows, nearly nods off. Merlin is convinced Arthur is half asleep himself, head dropping against his chest. Between one blink and the next, Merlin enters the hazy dream of half-sleep and he can smell the clove and he can almost taste the spicy beef stew the kitchen sometimes make. 

He’s starving, and the smell is right in front of him and so he licks what his mind is telling him is a spoon.

Only, the surface is warm and soft and with the finest covering of hair. In an instant, Merlin jerks upright splashing water down his shirt. Before him, Arthur’s shoulders are tense, his back straight, but he doesn’t say anything, doesn’t strike at Merlin. 

The thing about the water is, it does have the faintest clovey flavour. And while it doesn’t really do much to soothe Merlin’s hunger, there’s something pleasing about having the flavour on his tongue.

And Arthur didn’t strike him. Merlin leans forward, experimentally, and licks a long line from the top of Arthur’s spine down. Arthur shudders and leans forward, his hands coming up to clench at the rim of the tub.

A lot of the relationship between Merlin and Arthur is wrapped up in  _ things unsaid. _ Merlin decides this is just going to be another aspect of that as he drags his tongue over Arthur’s left shoulder. Arthur is firm, salty, and still a little muddy from the journey. It’s not exactly a pleasant taste, but Merlin finds it not to be exactly  _ un _ pleasant either.

Arthur shifts, water sloshing everywhere and he raises a hand like he’s searching for something. Merlin ignores the hand and shifts himself around, chasing the tendons in Arthur’s neck. The king lays his head back giving Merlin the perfect access to nip into the hollow at the base. He gets distracted there, nipping and licking and sucking. Trying to distinguish all of the layers that make up the flavor of Arthur. He’s never really had a refined palate and he moves on, trailing his tongue through the curls until he finds one of Arthur’s nipples. He wrinkles his nose a bit at the strange, wet texture of the hair, but the minute his teeth brush over the sensitive noise and Arthur  _ hums _ and  _ arches,  _ Merlin isn’t concerned about things like texture or taste anymore.

He experimentally catches Arthur’s nipple between his teeth, working and tugging it, listening to the way Arthur’s breath catches and he tries to keep quiet. Merlin’s eyes drift between open and shut, but out of the corner of one he can see Arthur shoving a fist in his mouth.

Merlin grins against his chest and moves on to the other nipple, giving it a hard bite immediately. Arthur jerks, sending bathwater everywhere and shoving his pec into Merlin’s mouth. Merlin just smiles and sucks, nursing at it.

At some point Arthur removes the first from his mouth and twist his fingers into Merlin’s hair. He’s making small noises that come from the base of his throat and Merlin can feel the way his chest is heaving and his heart is racing.

Merlin gets his hands into the water, uncaring about the way it soaks into his sleeves. He’s pawing at Arthur, unsure exactly where he’s trying to maneuver him, but Arthur seems to understand anyway.

He gently removes Merlin from his pec and stands. Merlin sucks in warm, wet air, because Arthur is  _ hard. _ He’s firm and red and a little short but extremely thick and Merlin  _ wants.  _ He looks up at Arthur, questioning him. Arthur hesitates.

He fist his hands at his side and shifts in the bath. Merlin can’t help himself. He leans forward and lets his breath ghost over the curls right above Arthur’s straining member and Arthur shudders. Merlin glances at him through his lashes and Arthur nods.

Merlin grins, kisses his king just below his navel and then he licks a long stripe down through the dark gold curls.

Arthur is warm, saltier here than even the sweat on his shoulder. He fits into Merlin’s mouth perfectly. Merlin can just feel him at the base of his throat, tickling, choking just a bit. He hums and Arthur shudders, his hips jerking. Merlin has to push at his hips, release him from his mouth. His eyes water a bit and Arthur drags a thumb across the corners.

He sucks his thumb into his mouth and though its subtle Merlin can see a hint of a smirk. He squares his own shoulders and takes the head into his mouth, tongue prodding at the slit. Above him Arthur shakes, and then he’s gripping Merlin’s shoulders.

Whether to steady himself or to steady Merlin is anyone’s guess.

It doesn’t take long, Merlin finds, to bring Arthur to the edge. With his hands gripping Arthur’s thighs and his head bobbing, it’s just a minute or two before Arthur is tensing. He goes to push Merlin away, but Merlin holds fast.

The taste is salty, too salty. Merlin coughs and lets Arthur slip from his mouth. He wipes his mouth on the back of his hand. It’s silent after that, save for Arthur catching his breath. Then the king is slipping back into the water and Merlin picks up a cloth and begins to wipe him down, that bath resuming like normal once more.

  
  



End file.
